Illegal dumping of waste tires in the Tone River basin - December 1997

Illegal dumping of waste tires in the Tone River basin - December 1997

In 1997, approximately 1,000 waste tires were illegally dumped in the Tone River basin in Ibaraki Prefecture, mainly along the riverbed from Toride City to Joso City. Some of them flowed into the river during flooding, causing water pollution and destruction of the landscape. An investigation revealed that a nearby disposal company was likely involved, and the background was the soaring cost of disposal, which was approximately 500 yen per tire. The prefecture removed approximately 200 tons of tires at a cost of 200 million yen. In Toride and Joso cities, residents and environmental groups cooperated in cleanup activities, and the incident triggered revisions to recycling laws and the reuse of waste tires. The use of recycled rubber for tires expanded, helping to strengthen waste management nationwide.